Brassiere



I United States Patent [1 11 3,54

[72] Inventor Lorraine Llv rflne 3,164,155 1/1965 Simonsen 128/486 505Rltchot St., St. Boniface, Manitoba 3,409,017 11/1968 Ramsell 128/486Canada Pnmary Exammer-Amele M. Enger [21] A 1. No. 758,411 [22] 55 sw 9,1968 Attorney-WalterC. Bogglss I [451' Patented 22,1970

[54] 3mm AB8'l'ltACT: A woman's brassiere or Bra" wherein abodym 1Drawing a. encircling belt supports a pliable girdle thereabove; a oinedpair of arch-shaped frames of flat material are positioned in 128/484front of the girdle and the bottoms of the legs of said frames 128/486,128/494 are secured to the belt while their upper portions are sup- 3/00ported by shoulder straps; the outer sides of the frames are [50] FkldofSearch 128/484, each secured to the girdle such that when thebrassiere i worn 485,486, 487,488, 494,495, 83 and the breasts projectthrough the openings in the frames, loose girdle material also projectsthrough the openings to [56] Hermes CM form under-sloping saddles fromthe belt which are end-car- UNITED STATES PATENTS ried by the frames tosupport the weight of the projecting 2,679,048 5/1954 Alberta 128/484breasts; and resiliency in the belt plus the encircling frame legs128/488 conform the breasts to a flattering bust.

r 2,725,563 12/1955 Rich PATENTEU 153221910 lNVENTOR Lorraine Loverqne Q/MM,

1 BRASSIERE It is a well known fact in modistry that women's apparel isprincipally designed by men, and this applies to undergarments as wellas outer. As a mans body is not built the same as a woman's it isobviously difficult for such designers, when concentrating on style, tounderstand and appreciate the troubles experienced by women when poorlydesigned undergarments such as brassieres (often termed bras) are beingworn. As the flesh around a womans bust is extremely tender andsensitive, irritation of any kind can create havoc, and often leads toserious repercussions.

Earlier brassieres used presented a pair of spaced semispherical cupsfor receiving a womans breasts. To be the correct size they had to befitted. Then, if the breasts later enlarged, tightness resulted and theblood circulation was affected, which also resulted in further painfuldiscomfort. Later, and in further search for style, openings wereprovided in the brassieres for the breasts to pass through, and anelastic belt was passed around the body and suitably fastened at theback, the objective being to resiliently compress the circumference ofthe breasts so the central part could project, and when suitably coveredwould present a trim double-coned bust. As the epidermis or outer skinof the breasts is more inclined to stretch than provide a support, theinterior weight of the breasts, especially in elderly married women,tended to sag or droop over the bottom parts of said openings, and bodymovement created friction with resulting irritation and soreness, whichcould easily lead to cancerous growth. Further, many women are verysusceptible to excess underarm flesh, with its accompanying weight. Ifthis flesh is permitted to work back, the arm movement drags this fleshand causes extreme irritation which can only be described as torture.

The principal object of the present invention is: to design a brassierewith openings to receive the breasts therethrough and also provideadaptable saddles for breasts support thereunder and so permit them toproject comfortably in a well shaped bust.

A further object of the invention is: to provide flexible arched frameopenings which will readily conform to the shape of the breasts whenreceived therein, andalso reinforce the saddles for increased support ofsaid breasts.

A further object of the invention is: to connect the sides of thebrassiere with an elastic body-encircling bandelet and girdle toresiliently maintain the saddles and arches in firm pressure contactaround the breasts, to insure said well shaped bust.

A further object ofthe invention is: to construct said saddles ofrelatively soft napped material for comfortable breast gripping support,and with extension of said material along the bandelet-girdle belt forproperly positioning excessive underarm flesh, and so preventirritation.

A still further object of the invention is: to provide a light weightdecorative material over the front of the brassiere to cover thebreasts, and with means for letting said cover down, for infant feeding.

With the above important and other minor objects in view, which willbecome more apparent as the disclosure proceeds, the invention consistsessentially in the construction and arrangement of the various partshereinafter more particularly described, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the brassiere positioned on a humanfemale body.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the brassiere with the decorative cover letdown.

FIG. 3 is a horizontal section taken on the line 3-3 of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the brassiere from the rear.

FIG. 5 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 6 is an enlargement of the bandelet parts shown in FIG. 5.

In the drawings like characters of reference indicate correspondingparts in the several figures.

A narrow elastic band 10 (see FIG. 6) forms the base of abody-encircling bandelet and has an inner napped surface for bodyfrictional contact. The ends of the'band I0 terminate at the back of thebandelet when in use. A wider strip 11 of elastic, known by the tradename spandex" is secured on the front half of the band upper and lowerzigzag stitching I2, the bottom of both members being flush while thestrip is approximately twice as wide and projects above the band at 13.This completes the bandelet.

A girdle 14 of inner reinforced flannelette is wide at the center andtapers off to narrower ends. This material is carried by the upper edgeof the bandelet, covering over and being sewn to the upper projectingpart of the spandex" while the ends of the girdle are covered by outerpieces of linen 15. The lower edges of the latter linen overlies thebandelet and are secured thereto by a continuation of the stitching 12.The flannelette of the girdle 14 is preferably on the inside for bodycontact and the extreme ends of said girdle and covering linen terminatesome distance back from the ends of the band 10, so they can receiverectangular extensions 16 of elastic material known under the trade nameof lycra", and which extends to the ends of the band 10. The lower edgesof this lycra" are secured to the band by further zig-zag stitching l2and their adjacent sides are provided withsuitable hooks and eyes 17 forretention of what I term the complete bandelet-girdle belt on a femalebody. It will also be noticed that double stitched seams 18 reinforcethe connections between the lycra" and the reinforced flannelette on theouter side.

Four curved linen legs 19 have their upper ends sewn together to form apair of arched frames 20. These two frames are again sewn together sideby side, as shown at 21 in FIGS. 2 and 3, the inside edges of the frameshaving suitable hems 22. The upper outer edges of the frames are alsoseamed and provided with edging lace, indicated at 23. The bottoms ofthe frames are then secured to the extending spandex" 11 of thebandelet, which extends across the front half of the girdle, to whichthe outer sides of the frames 20 are also secured. At the same time, anarrow cotton strap 24 (see FIG. 4) is double sewn down the center ofthe girdle I4 and to the center of the joined frame 20. It willtherefore be appreciated that the frames are integral with the girdle attheir vertical center, and at their vertical sides, and along theirbottom edges which are also sewn to the bandelet. The upper part of thegirdle, except at said joining of the frames and at their sides, is freeand can slide-move over the frame legs when stretched. Buckles 25 arecentrally secured to the upper connected end of each of the frames 20and shoulder support straps 26 and 27 connect said buckles with the rearparts of the girdle 14 at the seams 18.

From the above it will be appreciated that when the girdle and bandeletare secured as a belt around the body of a woman by the fastenings 17,the bandelet will fit snugly to the waist and frictionally support thegirdle thereon, and the elastic of the bandelet and the lycra willfreely give to permit breathing movement and muscle stretch. The supportstraps 26 and 27 will hold the upper ends of the frames 20 in positionso the connected center and outer sides of these frames will support theupstanding flannelette girdle 14, which can slide as explained. It mightalso be' mentioned at this time that the upper free part of the girdle,across the frames, is considerably longer than the lower part where itconnects with the bandelet so it can outwardly droop or sag through theframe openings 32, as suggested in FIGS. 3 and 5, while still sidesupported by the sewing 21 and 30 from the outer sides of the legs 19,as shown in FIG. 3.

A suitable lace covering 28, having a loose pair of breast receivingpockets or cups 29, is secured to the outer face of the band 10 and tothe outer sides of the frames 20 by the stitching 30 holding these partsto the girdle, the said stitching 30 also holding the forward ends ofthe linen 15. The drooping corners of this covering lace, which areshown in FIG. 2, are each provided with loops 3]! so they can be liftedup into full covering position in front of the frames 20, by booking theloops each onto one of the buckles.

When the brassiere is to be put on, it is first opened out. A woman thenleans forward until her breasts are hanging down. She then passes thebrassiere therebelow and brings it up with her breasts entered in theopenings 32 of the frames 20L They are then shaken from side to side toinsure their freedom and the belt ends are passed around behind andconnected by the fasteners 17, which holds the frames 20 and thoseportions of the bandelet firm around the breasts. In this operation, thebreasts push the front flannelette of the girdle 14 through the openings32 to form a taut pair of up and outwardly sloping saddles 33 whichextend from the holding bandelet (see FIGS. 3 and and in the lower shapeof the clinging breasts. At the same time, the linen legs 19 of theframes 20 twist outward in sympathy with the saddles (see FIG. 3) sothey also conform to the breast shapes, the legs 19 andsaddles 33sliding past each other to smoothly and efficiently complete said shapedresult. Accordingly, when the woman stands erect, the saddles 33,reinforced on each side by the frame legs 19, lift the breasts andsupport their weight while the mentioned sides of the openings 32 firmlypress inward to force the central parts outward in semispheroid shape,as indicated by the dot and dash line 34 in FIG. 5. Note that the teatsare free of any pressure. These comfortable well-supported breastscannot droop due to the saddles while the surrounding pressure give thema well-molded shape. The blood circulation is not interfered with in anyway and when the lace covering 28 is drawn up with the pockets 29loosely enveloping the extended breasts and the hooks 3! are caught onthe buckles 25, the bust appearance is all that could be desired as wellas comfortable.

if a baby is to be fed, the lace covering 28 can be readily dropped downby releasing the hooks 31. Further, as the bandelet and girdle make sucha firm. soft frictional contact with the skin and the soft clingingflannelette passes around under the arms to the rear lycra, any excessunderarm flesh can be tucked or worked ahead with the fingers and heldby this resilient material. In a short time this flesh too will workinto the breasts to further enhance the shaped appearance.

lclaim:

1. A brassiere, comprising: a body encircling belt; a pliable girdleforming the upper part of said belt; a pair of archshaped frames eachpresenting a pair of legs; said frames fastened in side by side relationon the belt and projecting thereabove; the bottoms and outer sides ofthe frames secured to the belt and forming therewith a pair ofbreast-receiving openings; the upper part of said girdle interiorlyresting against the frame legs and curving outwardly therebetween toform sloping saddles therein for support of said breasts when saidbreasts project through said openings; a pair of shoulder straps eachconnecting the upper part of one of the frames with the rear part of thebelt for leg reinforcement of said saddles when receiving the breasts;and said frames adapted to compress the outer portions of the breastsfor firm central projection thereof through said openings.

2. A brassiere as defined in claim 1, wherein each of said frames areformed from a pair of curved legs which are joined at their upper endsto form the arch-shape and openings for said breasts reception.

3. A brassiere as defined in claim 1, wherein said girdle is providedwith an upper fullness for suspension through the frame legs and formsaid sloping saddles.

4. A brassiere as defined in claim 1, wherein the ends of said belt areeach provided with elastic extensions and fastener means for connection,and a loose decorative front cover releasably mounted over the openingsto conceal projecting breasts.

5. A brassiere, comprising: an elastic-tightening support bandelet; anupper pliable girdle secured to said bandelet to provide abody-encircling belt having means thereon for releasable fastening; apair of arch-shaped frames of flat material carried by the belt, eachframe presenting a pair of curved legs which are positioned in side byside relation on the front half of the belt, with their bottoms andouter sides sewnconnected thereto; the upper part of the girdleinteriorly restmg against said frame legs, and having sufficientfullness for

